Google Chrome Metro app coming to Windows 8

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With news from Mozilla that a Metro version of Firefox was under way, it was all but certain that the Google Chrome team wouldn’t be far behind. Google has now confirmed that to be the case: a Chrome Metro app with enhanced touch functionality will be ready to roll by the time Windows 8 arrives later this year.

It’s worth noting that Chrome already offers tablet-friendly features, and they’re not specific to the Android version. Touch updates have been popping up steadily in desktop builds for several versions. You needn’t look any further than the new tab page — with its generously-sized app icons and swipe gesture support. Chrome also already supports accelerometers and other sensors.

The previous tablet work in Chrome has everything to do with Chrome OS. Last summer, we got an early look at Google’s on-screen keyboard and Omnibox tweaks for tablets thanks to the work of developer François Beaufort.

With tablet features already baked in and Chrome’s minimal UI, it shouldn’t take too long for Google to whip up a Metro remake for Windows 8. Some back-end work will be required to take advantage of the new WinRT APIs, but that work could allow Google to get Chrome up and running on yet another platform: Windows Phone.

Google hasn’t announced plans to do that yet, but it’s a very short trip from a Metro app on Windows 8 to a Windows Phone app. If it’s a possibility and provides an additional way to expand Chrome’s reach, Google might be willing to shuffle some developer resources that way.